The Wicked Lady

The shameless Barbara seduces Sir Ralph but his country life is boring to her. Excitement comes one day when she takes to the fields as a highwayman, shoting and punching her way to riches. Pistols are not good friends to everyone and the running horse can only keep going but for how long?

The 1945 version of this film was and still is the highest grossing British film in Britian. Michael Winner was a mass market film maker and sleaze baron that could only have pulled off it exploitation remake. Camp, hysterical and obsessed with class, sex and violence in unequal measures. It delights in vulgar bawdy breasts and bright red blood that feel the wry smile of its creator on them. Winners attempting to be a better film maker and this is his most accomplished film but he is no Pasoliniand this is no Canterbury Tales. Well with some additional sexual sadism and less thrillingly challenging a version of the period to start with.

Visually the blu ray refines the print a little but it is all for titulation. The flat grain tones have aged and this makes the film less plesant to watch. I dont care but a lover of the medium might. The famous whip scene as well is dull and silly now and little can be seen to why the Censor James Ferman was so in horror and wanted, indeed for the video, had it cut. The acting does little to expand any delights in the films story simplicity. Dunaway is terrible and Bates is playing it as a send up. Elliot is playing it strict and this is sad as he can act. Gielgud is excellent as the bible bashing valet with a secret known and lost.

The sad disc is bare and the people at Second Sight saw no reason to add anything but the film. Empty like the satisfaction of sex for Barbara.